As you know, Century Guild has relocated its gallery from Chicago, Illinois to Los Angeles, California, and we are very pleased to announce that our new location will open with a very special book signing with none other than our good friend, Jeremy A. Bastian. We will be holding a Grand Opening for the new gallery on December 1st, 2012 from 6-9pm. Jeremy will be there in person to sign books, including advanced copies of his graphic novel, Cursed Pirate Girl,which is being published by Archaia Entertainment. We will also be displaying exclusive artwork from Cursed Pirate Girl for the first time.

The ongoing story of Cursed Pirate Girl tells the whimsical tale of a young girl as she sets sail for adventure in search of her missing father, who is one of the legendary Pirate Captains of the mythical Omerta Seas. On her voyages, both above and below the surface of the ocean, she encounters a series of bizarre, charming, and grotesque characters that leap forth from the page with such vitality and imagination that they rival the fantastical creations of Lewis Carroll, Winsor McCay, and Terry Gilliam.

Jeremy A. Bastian, attending San Diego Comic-Con 2012, stops by the Century Guild booth to meet fans and sign autographs of his work.

At a time when just about everyone seems to be familiar with comic book characters and their worlds, primarily due to the high-end film adaptations of superhero comic books, it has become increasingly rare for comics fans to stumble across anything original. As Hellboy creator Mike Mignola has said, “It’s all too rare that I see work that is truly original – and I almost never see work THIS original – Jeremy Bastian is a genius.”Continue reading →

Just in time for the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con, the Century Guild booth (Booth # 2845) is debuting new t-shirts featuring the extraordinary work of Jeremy A. Bastian, the Malleus Rock Art Lab, and Gail Potocki! These new graphic t-shirts, aside from being fashionable and extremely comfortable, showcase the work of diverse and immensely talented artists at the height of their creative apex. Now, why should you buy one (or all) of these very cool shirts? Because they are amazing! Let’s take a closer look at each one and you’ll see why.

First off, let’s see the exceptionally cool shirt done by Malleus…

Thomas Negovan ‘The Divine Eye’ t-shirt (MALLEUS, 2012)

Available in sizes small, medium, large, and extra large, and produced in a limited edition number of 80, this deep v-neck, fitted t-shirt exclusively for the ladies (sorry, guys) is made of highest quality 100% cotton, features gold foil details, and the graphic was screened using high resolution to create the best possible image. The design appearing on the t-shirt was originally created for a poster to help promote the release of Thomas Negovan‘s historical 2011 debut single “The Divine Eye“, which was recorded on a Thomas Edison phonograph and released as a limited edition wax cylinder. Certainly such a feat is worthy of recognition, and indeed commemoration, but no mere work of commercial art would suffice, so naturally Thomas turned to Malleus Rock Art Lab and what they created is simply spectacular.

Thomas Negovan ‘The Divine Eye’ poster (Malleus, 2011)

Malleus is an artist collective comprised of three unique and talented individuals. Their work is inspired by Art Nouveau, Expressionism, Surrealism, Psychedelic Art, and Pop Art. They’ve created works for everyone from Queens of the Stone Age and the Mars Volta to The Dresden Dolls and Amanda Palmer. When it comes to creating indelible and iconic imagery to accompany and promote the releases and tours of today’s best music acts, Malleus is already a legend.

And from Gail Potocki‘s fantastic Freaks series…

Freaks t-shirts collection (Gail Potocki, 2012)

Also available in BOTH men’s and women’s sizes small, medium, large, and extra large, and produced in a limited edition number of 85 each gender, these ultra-comfortable and timeless, dark grey, crew-neck shirts are made of 100% cotton and screened from high resolution to best capture the masterful work of modern symbolist Gail Potocki‘s brilliant paintings. The imagery for these two shirts is derived from Gail’s Freaks series done in 2009, which lovingly pays homage to the world of circus and carnival sideshow figures from the early part of the 20th Century. These detailed and nuanced portraits manage to not only capture the essence of their subjects, but also the imaginations of all those who see them. Imagine the look of intrigue on your friends’ faces as you proudly wear your own shirt featuring Annie Jones the Bearded Lady or Jo-Jo the Dog-Faced Boy!

Annie Jones the Bearded Lady (Gail Potocki, 2009)

‘Jo-Jo the Dog-Faced Boy’ (Gail Potocki, 2009)

Of her fascination with the freaks, Gail says, “I think part of it is that they had to blaze their own trail whether they wanted to or not. Because they are so unique and rare, they stand out like diamonds in a sea of glass. ”
So too will the wearers of these awe-inspiring t-shirts, which are sure to become cult favorites and collector’s items, so be sure to pick yours up soon because they will disappear fast!

And from the imagination of Jeremy A. Bastian…

Cursed Pirate Girl t-shirts (Jeremy A. Bastian, 2012)

Available in BOTH men’s and women’s sizes small, medium, large, and extra large, and produced in an extremely limited edition number of only 70, these stylish, grey crew-neck t-shirts are made from 100% cotton and feature a slick wrap-around design which was screened from high resolution and allows for the insane amount of detail of Jeremy Bastian‘s work to display itself. The exclusive design features the Cursed Pirate Girl herself as she heroically leaps out of the reach of the clutches of her vile nemeses. Whether you’re a fan of comic books, pirates, illustration, or just want to wear a really handsome shirt, we have your needs covered thanks to Jeremy’s remarkable work.

Jeremy’s astonishingly illustrated and darkly, whimsical comic book for children has been acclaimed by some of the comics industry’s most respected names and the first three epic issues were recently collected in a single volume by Archaia Publishing. The title has been on the rise in popularity and there’s even a radio-dramedy in the works featuring Stephanie Leonidas (the star of Dave McKean‘s films MirrorMask and the upcoming Luna) as the title heroine and swashbuckling adventurer. Jeremy will be appearing at Comic-Con with Archaia at Booth # 2635 and Stephanie will also be making an appearance at our Comic-Con booth along with some other guest surprises, so keep an eye out, matey!

All of these shirts, both in style and sizes, are available in very LIMITED QUANTITIES only at Comic-Con and they will go fast, so you will want to be sure to purchase yours while you can. Stop by Century Guild at Booth # 2845 and pick up yours!

“The Griffon” (Ink on paper, 2009) is but one example of Jeremy A. Bastian’s love of the mythical and necessity for detail.

Unless you’re a diehard comic book enthusiast or an avid student of art history, it might at first be difficult to imagine what comics and fine art really have in common. Comics tend to be denigrated as merely pop culture kitsch or kids’ stuff. And with all of the superheroes in colorful costumes, the Saturday morning cartoons, and the whole hub of merchandising aimed at children and adolescents, it’s not hard to see why someone might arrive at such a conclusion. On the other hand, fine art has been elevated to the pinnacle of creative innovation and self-expression for most cultures around the globe.

Another example of Bastian’s detailed and whimsical take on classic mythical creatures: “The Manticore” (Ink on paper, 2009).

If you ask any true comic book fan if there’s more to the medium in terms of artistic or literary merits, they will promptly and adamantly attempt to persuade you of the cultural and social significance of comics. Similarly, not all comic fans may have an appreciation or understanding on the finer points of classical art much to the chagrin of art critics. Yet, there is a strong correlation between the two, though neither group of enthusiasts will necessarily admit to it. So, how does one bridge antiquity with modernity, the past with the present, and unite two groups of people who may have more in common than either recognize?
The answer is simple: Jeremy A. Bastian.Continue reading →

The International Antiques Fair here in Chicago has been bookended by a labor of Greek mythical proportions. I can’t tell if it’s one of Herculean willpower or a cruel Sisyphisian effort. If I’m a mythic figure, then these books must surely be an eco-friendly Hydra. Stamp one, two appear in its place. Stamp a table full, there’s an entire box containing several bundles more at the ready!

Cursed Pirate Girls drying out in the sun.

Do not mistake the pictures, though the studio looks to be in ruins thanks the multiplying amounts of “Cursed Pirate Girl #1” issues, the true damage is understated. The toll is not only taken out across the surfaces of the studio, but the necks and wrists of the poor whelps who volunteered their energies (myself and Tom), their sanity, and those stamps. What brave, durable heroes they are.

In the end though, this is God’s work.

Myself, as the victim of illegal photography.

Barring any unforseen world-shaking events (like the sudden onset of carpal tunnel syndrome) these hand-stamped copies of Cursed Pirate Girl #1 will be on comic store shelves- and in your hands- on May 20.

After four years of ups, downs, crashing waves and random squalls, Cursed Pirate Girl was grabbed by her little cursed pirate collar by Olympian Publishing and pulled back onto dry land. Fast forward past a few bowls of warm soup and new clothes, and we are getting ready for the very first Cursed Pirate Girl book signing ever, ever, ever!!!

We printed on all recycled materials, used soy inks, and stamped the title and price onto each individual copy by hand- all around making this a heavy, substantial book that looks like something you would have found on the streets of London two hundred years ago. The hand stamping process is incredibly time consuming, and it took us days to get even the one hundred advance copies ready in time for the very special event at Challengers Comics! We also hand-stamped a mark that read, “Cursed Pirate Girl. First. Signing. Ever. April 24, 2009 – Challengers Comics, Chicago. Advance Copy /100”. So these 100 are out there in the world, and the rest of the copies should be in bookstores in about two weeks. I think. (Hope?)

First thing we had to do was load in the boxes, and Jack showed Jeremy how to stamp… (it’s not as easy as it looks, seriously.)

We went to eat unreasonably wonderful Palestinian food at Chickpea, then showed up at Challengers at 7:05… Patrick and Dal were all ready and waiting, as you can see in the photos.

The party was PACKED, and ran well past the 9pm predicted ending. There was a tasty limited edition Monkey Fish Ale- complete with Jeremy Bastian labels- and copies of Cursed Pirate Girl #0, which contains a four page Jeremy Bastian Cursed Pirate Girl story plus wonderful interviews with Dave McKean and Gail Potocki (who was also at the signing) about their upcoming Century Guild events.

Thanks to the comic industry people who came out to support Jeremy: Chris Burnham, Jenny Frison, Doug Klauba, Mike Norton, Tim Seeley, John Siuntres, and anyone else I might have missed.

A truly wonderful time was had by all… THANK YOU to Challengers Comics for hosting this spectacular event!!!